An Understanding
by KhemRocks
Summary: The new pharaoh deals with an unusual tomb robber. Spoilers for last arc.


**An Understanding**

**Summary: **The new pharaoh deals with an unusual tomb robber. SPOILERS to the end/AE/Millennium World arc, including the Pharaoh's name, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Me still no own, yo!

It started out as a fairly normal day in the Audience Chamber that morning, or as normal as things could be in the management of a kingdom still reeling from the devastating battle with the Demon Lord of Darkness - a battle which had resulted in many deaths, including almost the entire previous court and the former Pharaoh Atem himself - the cousin of the present king.

In the midst of hearing petitioners, Pharaoh Setau noticed that the courtiers and guards towards the far end of the vast chamber were turning questioningly towards the entrance doors, almost directly opposite their king. The commotion increased in volume as it apparently approached the doors, until, amidst shouts and gasps from the nearest courtiers, they were flung open, to loud sobs and screams of "No! It's mine! Let me have it! Please, you don't understand!"

Setau, now fully immersed in observing the commotion, realized that some of the shouts were coming from a new set of guards, trying to restrain a hysterical individual.

One of these guards, ignoring all protocol, raced up to the Pharaoh's throne, hurriedly collapsing to the floor in a bow, before gasping out "A tomb robber, sire! Just caught her, had to drag her out! In His Highness's tomb! She's going mad, was screaming to come in here!"

Some of the nearest courtiers shrank back: Pharaoh Setau, as a former priest, had a slight reputation for being quicker to anger than the previous Pharaoh, and in the midst of grieving and trying to restore ma'at to the kingdom…

However, they were shocked to see that the Pharaoh's face was remarkably calm, almost as if in expectation of the chaos, despite the unusual fact that the robber was female, and the robbery perpetrated n the tomb of the Pharaoh just buried, Setau's kinsman…

"I thought so," the closest thought they heard him murmur, before raising his voice and demanding "Bring her before me! See that you are careful with her."

The guards, slightly startled at this act of compassion, brought their prisoner before their prisoner, being as they could while still trying to restrain her hysterical shouts and flailing.

The prisoner was revealed as a young brown-haired woman. Flinging the guards away in a sudden motion which made the entire court gasp, she fixed her tear-stained gaze on the king, shrieking "It's mine! Please, Setau, let me go back for it! I can get him back! Let me get it, please!" She then collapsed to her knees, sobbing into her hands.

Priestess Isis, who had watched this whole scene in shock, gave a sad sigh of "Oh, Mana…" before hurrying to the girl's side, dropping down beside her and cuddling her to her side with an arm around her shaking shoulders.

"Your Highness?" a courtier dared to question, glancing at their sombre king's face. He was staring down at the scene with apparent remarkable calm, yet a closer observer may have seen the sudden unfathomable depths in his eyes, revealing the remembered horror and present grief shared by all of those who had been involved in that terrible battle, and had learned of the fate of the young king and his devoted priests…

"Back to your duties!" the Pharaoh suddenly boomed, his voice reverberating around the stillness of the shocked chamber of people, who then hastened to obey.

"Mana," he then began, in a quieter, more gentle voice than many had ever heard him speak (but what did they know of the changes so quickly wrought in him by the gentle girl with the dragon in her heart?), "your plan will not work" he paused as the girl gave a little gasp and more tears trickled down her face. "You must let fate run its course." The Pharaoh could have confessed to feeling a slight pang in his own chest at his own words - Fate? Destiny? They sounded like something Atem would say. He took a deep breath and continued.

"I understand your pain. We all share it." He glanced towards Isis, seeing the sadness that must be in his own eyes reflected back - so many friends lost, so many young lives taken before their time…

"But this is not the way to heal it. The manner of his death" - another shuddering gasp from the girl and a sad downturn of the eyes from Isis - "served a purpose. To protect us all. To end the great war which nearly tore apart this kingdom. The Puzzle must remain where it is until the time is right. I know you wish to see your friend again, but this is the way things _must_ be. If you wish to honour him, do it another way."

Mana's sobs quieted to sniffles during this speech, until she asked tremulously, "For the Prince, for my master, anything! How? Please, tell me!

The present Pharaoh, Lord of the Two Lands, Ruler of Kemet, The good god Pharaoh Setau, met her tear filled eyes, and those of his priestess. "By fighting with us to restore this kingdom and govern it in peace, to restore ma'at to this kingdom, as was their wish. By using your magic as a priestess of this court."

The End.

AN: This idea came to me after thinking about the end of the Pharaoh's battle: with only Setau (I call him this as, as I have read, a more "realistic" ancient Egyptian version of this name), Priestess Isis and Mana left behind. Seeing the friendship between Atem, Mana and Mahaad, I wondered whether Mana may have thought of wanting to solve the puzzle early to get her friend back.


End file.
